Tribunal dismisses petition against Kofa’s election, awards N100,000 cost
Cost
By Ramatu Garba
Kano, The National/ State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano, on Wednesday, dismissed the petition filed by Muhammad Sa’idu-Kiru, APC challenging the victory of Abdulmumini Kofa of NNPP, member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency.
Muhammad Sa’idu-Kiru, of All Progressive Congress (APC) had petitioned the tribunal challenging the declaration and return of Kofa of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as the winner of Feb.25, National House of Assembly Election.
The petitioner alleged that the election was marred with irregularities ranging from thuggery, violence,over voting and non compliance with 2022 electoral act.
Sa’idu-Kiru prayed the court through his lawyer Haruna Saleh, to nullify Kofa’s election and declare him winner.
The respondents in the petition are INEC, Kofa and NNPP.
In an unanimous decision, the three-man panel Judge, led by Justice Ngozi Flora, dismissed the petition for lacking merit and incompetent.
“The documents tendered before the Tribunal by both parties indicated that Kofa resigned his position as Executive Secretary of Federal Housing Authority, 30 days before the conduct of the Feb.25, 2023 election and shows he is a member of NNPP.
“There were discripancy in the petitioners witnesses statement of oath and the petitioner failed to call cogent witnesses to prove that some voters were disenfranchised during the conduct of the election” Flora said
Flora held that the petitioner failed woefully to prove that there was voilence, over-voting and not in compliance with the provision of 2022 Electoral Act.
She awarded the sum of N100,000 cost against the Petitioner in favour of all the respondents.
Earlier, Counsel to INEC, Mr A K Maude, urged the court to dismiss the petition with cost and discountenance their evidence.
Counsel to Kofa, Olajide Salami and Counsel to NNPP, Mr Bashir Tudunwuzurci, challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the petition and urged the court to dismiss the petition for lacking merit.
